How Does Smoking Affect Health Insurance Premiums?

A health insurance policy is used to compensate for the medical dues incurred during the treatment of a disease. The health insurance policy comes packed with features and benefits to meet the needs of the customers at an affordable price. The standard benefits that can be availed on your health insurance policy include pre and post hospitalization, consultation, medication, ambulance charges, tax deduction, room rents, and much more. Some health insurance providers offer discounts and bonuses to people who stay healthy in order to encourage a healthy lifestyle. The premium of a health insurance cover depends on the type of plan chosen, applicants medical history, pre-existing diseases, etc. A person suffering from critical diseases or a senior citizen who is prone to life-threatening diseases has to pay more premium than a normal and healthy individual.

Smoking is one of the most injurious habits as the toxins due to smoking affect the lungs, heart and other body parts of the smoker thus, making the individual vulnerable to the risk of contracting critical diseases. A smoker is at a larger risk of contracting life-threatening diseases than a non-smoker and therefore, based on some medical procedures, the premium for a smoker is kept to be a little higher. Smoker should invest in a health insurance policy, it is not necessary that all the health insurance providers charge extra from them, therefore, shielding you health and ensuring yourself quality treatment should be a priority.

Health Insurance Policy For Smokers

Smoking is dangerous and injurious for the health of an individual. The people who smoke are at a larger risk of contracting life-threatening diseases. Diseases like lung cancer, oral cancer, blood vessels damage, cataract, low fertility, etc. are some of the critical diseases that are a result of smoking and treatment of such diseases require large funds as it is expensive. Pregnant women who smoke have a complication of stillbirth, early delivery, infant death, etc. and therefore, it can result in a lot of misery in the life of an individual.

A person who smokes is likely to get hospitalized earlier than estimated and the treatments will cost higher than usual, and therefore, the health insurance providers have to charge a higher premium to compensate for their hospitalization. A smoker has to be completely honest with the insurer to avail the benefits at the time of a medical emergency. If a person lies about their smoking habits then legal charges can be made against him by the company and no claim will be available for hospitalization due to smoking.

Premium of A Health Insurance Cover For Smokers

The premium of a health insurance policy for a smoker is usually higher than a standard health insurance cover as the smoker is more vulnerable to get hospitalized for the treatment of a critical disease. A series of medical tests are conducted by the insurance provider to identify the intensity of health deterioration due to smoking of an individual, according to which the premium amount is set. However, the rise in premium rate is not that significant and is affordable. A person who smokes should not avoid investing in a health insurance cover as it can provide them with the necessary financial backup required at the time of an emergency. If a person plans on quitting smoking, then he/she must give up smoking for a minimum of 2 years to get a normal premium price on their health insurance cover.

Conclusion

If a person hides or lies about their smoking habit then, it can create a lot of inconvenience at the time of claim settlement process. To claim your purchased health insurance cover at the time of hospitalization for seeking treatment due to smoking illnesses like bronchitis, lung cancer, etc., you must be honest with your health insurance provider. You must carefully go through the policy-related documents to make sure that the necessary inclusion has been made by the insurer.

Also Read: Critical Link between Smoking and Health Insurance Policy

Does Smoking Affect My Health Insurance Premium?

Disclaimer: This article is issued in the general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. Readers are advised not to rely on the contents of the article as conclusive in nature and should research further or consult an expert in this regard.